Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-11-24
TOMMY'S SCHOOL.
How and Why He Changed His Mind, and
What Came OF 1t.

How and Why He Changed His Mind, and
What Came OF 1t.
'Humph! l amt agoin' to study
much if school does begin Monday. "
said Tommy jenkins at the end of his
long vacation; I'm goin' to have pea
nuts all shelled. and eat 'em when
teacher isn't lookin', and I'm goin' to
do lots o things to make the other
boys laugh. and I'm goin' to act SO
| teacher I'll have to send me home. then
won't have to go to school any more;
chee-hee. won't that be fun" and a
pair of boyish heels went up into the
air as Tommy threw himself back on
the sofa and chuckled at what he
thought very smart speech.
Susie, who was ei ght years old. two
years younger than Tommy, looked a
! little shocked at first, but when Tom
my laughed so gaily she laughed, to,
then she said:
Eyes, but what will mamma say to
such things. and papa? Oh, papa IL
be dreadful sober and say: My little
son! in that way that always makes me
cry right out when he says: My little
daughter!''
"Oh, mamma will be kinder sorry at
first, said Tommy, blandly, ''but she
will get over it pretty soon, and as to
papa, oh, I'd make it all right with
papa when 1 told him how a Teller
hates to study" and Tommy thrust his
thumbs into the armholes of his blouse
and tried to whistle.
Fortunately, mamma was in the hall.
and just about to enter the room when
Tommy began his smart remarks, and
so heard every word the children said.
She went quickly back upstairs. and
neither Tommy nor Susie suspected
She had heard word.
But just rs their mother expected
would be the case, when bedtime was
approaching that night Tommy began
asking for story. and Susie put down
her dolly to help Tommy tease for what
they both liked so much. one of their
mammals nice stories. Papa was over
by the table reading, but his face was
behind the paper, and the children
knew the sound of mammals voice
would not disturb him at all.
So after Tommy had seated himself
OH an ottoman with his hands in his
mammals lap, and Susie was nestled
close beside her, mamma began:
''Once upon time there was fine
looking young man who was very I'M
fortunate, and very much to be pitied.
He had good manners. and also had
the appearance of having been well
brought up. but the trouble was. he
was not faithful in any thing. When
he first went into a town and tried to
find work. he would generally succeed
in getting some thing to do in a store
perhaps, and for little while he would
seem to do very well. but 1t was never
long before those who had employed
him would find that he was not to be
trusted, so he would be obliged to leave
and try to find some other place or en-
ployment
THE time would come when every
one in the town would know all about
him. and he would have to go some
where else and begin all over again to
try finding work by which to feed him
self. This was not ut all happy life
to lead, for of course he had no settled
home, no friends in particular. and but
very little money, some times not
enough to buy things he really needed.
besides all this there was no kind
of business he could engage in except
the very simplest. because he had
never learned how to do the things
which bring in money to any amount
and are what we call profitable. Don't
you think he must have felt very badly
when he thought of his boyhood and
his comfortable home and kind pa
rents?'
ibid he ever have nice home and
good parents?" asked Tommy.
Certainly, just IS nice home IS
you have. and just as kind parents"
Then why didn't they teach him
things. and send him to SCHOOL,"
asked Tommy. his great blue eyes wide
open.
..Oh. they did" said mamma He